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World News

Latest news from and about the homeland

Photograph: Screenshot/ BLA video A fresh wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances has been documented across Balochistan this month, as Baloch rights groups recorded the recovery of several bodies of men who had earlier been forcibly taken, and appealed once more to international institutions that have largely ignored the province. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC)…

Jamaica announces intent to become a republic as protests against British monarchy continue

Jamaica's prime minister, Andrew Holness has told the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that his country is "moving on" and intends to become a republic. 

Representatives from the British monarchy's arrival in Jamaica on Tuesday coincided with major demonstrations urging them to pay reparations for slavery and calls from senior politicians for the country to become a republic, severing its tie with the United Kingdom. 

US declares Myanmar committed genocide against Rohingya

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Myanmar’s violence and killings of Rohingya amounted to genocide, in a speech made at the Holocaust Memorial Museum earlier today.

“The United States has concluded that genocide has been committed seven times,” said Blinken. “Today marks the eighth.”

“I have determined that members of the Burmese military committed genocide and crimes against humanity.”

Nowhere on earth are people more at risk than Tigray' - WHO chief

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted the ongoing crisis occurring in Tigray, starting that there is no where on earth where "people are more at risk".

At a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus implicitly addressed those concerns. He said such was the scale of the crisis, it would be a dereliction of his professional duty not to speak out.

Lithuania cancels vaccine delivery to Bangladesh after abstention at UN

Lithuania has reportedly cancelled the delivery of more than 400,000 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh, citing Dhaka’s refusal to vote in favour of a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to reports, Rasa Jakilaitiene, a spokeswoman for Lithuania’s prime minister said the shipment of 444,600 doses which was agreed upon just last week, was now cancelled.

Ukraine claims Russia is committing genocide – and takes it to court

Several senior Ukrainian officials, including president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have claimed Russian actions verged on "genocide" with proceedings underway at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN, told the UN General Assembly that Russia had "come to deprive Ukraine of the very right to exist. They have come to resolve the Ukrainian issue, as their propagandists claimed".

British foreign secretary 'absolutely' supports individual Brits going to fight in Ukraine, Russia puts nuclear deterrence forces on high alert

Foreign secretary Lizz Truss has said she would "absolutely" support individual Brits going to fight Russian forces in Ukraine. 

Following an announcement made by Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, who pledged to arm the country's international "friends" who chose to travel to Ukraine to fight alongside them.

Lizz Truss was asked whether she would support the call during an appearance on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme.

She said, "I do support that. Of course, that is something that people can make their own decisions about." 

The cabinet minister added, 

ICC may exercise its jurisdiction in Ukraine to investigate possible war crimes

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan on Friday expressed his concern over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said his court may investigate possible war crimes in the country. 

Khan who is currently on a mission In Bangladesh said in his statement,

Head of torturous Afghan jail on trial, 30 years later, in Dutch court

Pul-e-Charki Prison, Kabul, January 2012

A 76-year-old Afghan man, Abdul Razaq Arief, accused of abusing political prisoners in the 1980s, is currently on trial at The Hague district court. 

They slap a price on you' - Ethiopian officials accused of extorting arbitrarily detained Tigrayans 

In a damning report by Al Jazeera, reporters uncovered a series of incidents where Ethiopian security officers have been extorting and abusing Tigrayan civilians detained without charge. 

Since an influx of arbitrary arrests last year, Ethiopian security forces, including "prison wardens, government prosecutors and officials from the attorney general's offices have demanded exorbitant bribes for release."

Sports and politics in action – Formula 1 and UEFA cancel Russian events

In the aftermath of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, both the UEFA Champions League and Formula 1 have cancelled scheduled sporting events in Russia.

European football's governing body held an emergency meeting earlier this morning and announced that the 2022 Champions League final will be played in Paris, instead of St Petersburg on 28 May.

"Together with the French government, Uefa will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement," said UEFA in an announcement.